Method and means for constructing aircraft structures



Dec. 25, 1934. J. A. ROCHE 1,985,262

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CONSTRUGTING AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES Filed Nov. 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Dec. 25, 1934. J. A. ROCHE 1,935,262

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES Filed Nov. 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 25, 1934 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,985,262 METHOD AND MEANS FOR 'CONSTRUCTING- AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES Jean Alfred Roche, Dayton, Ohio I t Application November 14, 1930, Serial No. 495,650

3 Claims. (01. 249-31) (Granted under the actor March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757),,

The invention described herein may be manufore possible and at the same time avoid the dis' factured and used by or for the Government for advantages of the present methods as heretofore governmental purposes, without the payment to pointed out. v me of any royalty thereon. It is a further object of myinvention topro- 5 This invention relates to improvements in the vide a novel type of fastening means which will method and construction or fabrication of airnot only serve for attaching the fabric covering craft structures and more particularly to the asto the frame but also as a reinforcement to presembly of structures'having a surfacing material, vent rupture or breakage of the fabric when sesuch as fabric, connected thereto as for examcured.'

ple the airfoils of an airplane including the wings, Another object of-my invention is to relieve 1 elevators, control surfaces, and the like. the chord members in truss type ribs of concen- While I am about to describe my invention as trated beam loadsby locating'the staple attachapplied to the attachment of fabric to the wing ments substantially at the points of intersection ribs of an airplane, it will be quite evident that of the truss members.

my invention can readily be applied in the com- My invention further contemplates the use of posite construction of other parts of the airplane, a beam or rod; which when disposed longitudisuch for example in attaching the fabric to the nally on'the fabric covering at the point of confairing strip of the fuselage or to the structure nectibn with the frame work and fabricsupportof tail surfaces of the airplane. In fact, it will ing surface, will cooperate with the fastening be expressly understood that this election is meremeans to additionally reinforce the fabricagainst 2O lyfor illustrative purposes and shall not be conrupture or' breakage. a v a strued as alimitation of the scope of the inven- Other and further objects and advantages of tion except as claimed. my invention will be apparent from the' descrip- In the construction or fabrication of airplane tion hereinbelow.

wings of many types; a frame work of metal is In order that the invention may be clearly uncovered with a treated fabric, which forms the derstood and readily carried into effect the same skin or exposed surfaces of the wing. Thiscovwill now be more fully described with the aid of ering material, in accordance with the common the accompanying drawings, in which: present practice, is tied or laced to the frame Fig. 1 is a Side el vati al V w ShOWing a members by a method of sewing which usually ventional rib, that is employed in the fabrication comprises passing the lacing strand through the of the framework on an airplane wing and-the fabric and around the top and bottom edges of fabric covering attached thereto in accordance the frame members, the lacing being tied or with my invention. knotted at each point of connection withthe frame Fig. 2'is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 members or at such other points as may be deof 35 sirable vor necessary. It is found that, with this Fig. 3 s a fragmentary View Of the and method of affixing the fabric to the frame work, Cove ing in pe spe v illustrating the manner the lacing strand is not sufiiciently resistant to in w ich the faste i g ea is diSp0$ed Wlth withstand the cutting effect of theedges of the respect to the framework and covering pr1or to 40 framework; that only a few threads of the fabric y g h parts together- 0 covering are caught, which obviously does not Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 howin the result in a strong attachment, unless a great fab ic C v in phantom as attachedto number of stitches are made; that when long rib andreinforced on opposite sides of the pomt stitches must be used, the strands will stretch of connection, a tape '0 St p patch in p f and shrink with changes of relative humidity of ing laid over the exp s attaching and rein- 45 the atmosphere and that the cost of production forcing means togiv fin h d effect and t0 Dr is materially increased by reason of the fact that vent accidental displacement of the reinforcing this method is slow and laborious and requires beam two operatives where large areas are being cov- Fig. 5 is a modification of my invention. 1

ered. Referring now to the drawings in detail, l1ke It is the primary object of my invention to pronumerals represent like parts in detail. The nuvide a novel method and means of attaching a12 d a s t covering r urfa ing fabfabric covering material to frame m mb ric material and 4 the ribs of the wing structure. whereby a more rapid assembly of the frame- Each rib 4 is of a conventional metal constructwork and covering is effected than was heretotion and consists of upper and lower girders 6 and 8 respectively, braced by means of trusses 12. The upper and lower girders constitute the supporting means for the fabric covering and although shown as channelshaped they might be round, rectangular or of any section efficient as a beam and column.

The covering is attached at spaced intervals along the upper .and lower girders of the wing rib and, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the attaching means consists of a metallic staple 14 and a metallic rod or beam 16. The staple is formed with legs of unequal length to permit the insertion thereof, from the exterior of the wing, in such manner that the legs of the staple straddle the girder and extend outwardly of the wing'and the bight portion of the staple is disposed interiorly of the Wing and in contact with the inner flange edges of the girder. Prior to twisting and tying the staple for affixing the fabric in the framework, the rod 16 is placed intermediate of the staple legs,'18'and 20 on the outer surfacing and is disposed longitudinally of the fabric supporting surface with its mid portion lying in the plane of said legs. In affixing the fabric covering in this manner, it will be apparent that the rod 16 will carry inbending the load imparted to it by the fabric and the staple in turn will carry the load from the rod to the rib structure. The bending resistance of the rod not being as great as the tensile strength of the staple it will be necessary that the gage of the rod be somewhat greater than that of the staple.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of my invention. In this illustration the staple 22 attaches the fabric to the framework in substantially the same manner as above described. The staple, however, is made of a relatively stronger gage wire and thus when the legs are bent down against the fabric after being twisted and tied,

40 these bent portions constitute the beams which serve as the reinforcing means for the fabric.

The material used in the rod and staples described above may be of steel, spring brass or aluminum alloy. The latter is probably the most suitable because of its greater specific resistance to bending. The gage to be used and the degree of ductility necessary in the staple material can best be determined by practical tests. In certain cases a wooden peg might be substituted for the metal beam.

be laid over the exposed parts of the fastener, and cemented to the fabric with dope as usual, thereby adding materially to the finished appearance of the wing and the security of the connection between the frame and the covering.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a conventional type of wing framework, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that where the ribs are made from sheet metal or where special shapes or constructions are employed, openings immediately below or above the fabric supporting surfaces of the upper and lower chords respectively may be provide-d through which the wire staples may be inserted and that two or more staples may be used Where the fabric loads are relatively greater.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a novelrnethod and means of attaching and reinforcing a fabric covering to a framework, which is simple, economical and highly efficient.

What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1 1. A means of attaching the covering surface to a frame element in airplane wing construction comprising a staple having its legs disposed about a portion of said covering surface and said frame element and jointed together at their intermediate portions to form a loop and having their end portions oppositely disposed longitudinally of said frame element for reinforcing said covering surface and further reinforcing means parale lelly disposed relative to said end portions intermediate of said covering surface and said loop.

2. A means of attaching the covering surface of an aircraft to a frame element thereof comprising in combination a metallic staple having its body portion disposed interiorly of said covering and its legs jointed together exterior of the covering to form a loop about a portion of said covering and about said frame element, said legs having their end portions disposed longitudinally of said element and contacting with said covering substantially as and for the purpose described 3. A means of attaching the covering surface to a frame element in airplane wing construction comprising a staple having its legs disposed about a portion of said covering surface and said frame element and jointed together at their intermediate portions to form a loop and having portions laterally disposed with respect to the plane of said staple for reinforcing said covering surface.

' JEAN A. ROCHE. 

